"You crossed the line"

"I heard you came out of the crown prince's bedroom?"

Xun Yuan typed back, "You're well informed."

Yun Tang hadn't gone to bed yet and replied instantly, "What a waste of my time, finding you."

"You didn't need it at all."

A smile touched Xun Yuan's eyes and brows. She knew Second Miss Yun was deliberately throwing a little tantrum.

"But Xunxun, keep your footing."

"He's the sort who's passed through ten thousand flowers."

Xun Yuan: "Stay calm.jpg"

Yun Tang: "..."

"I really worried about her for nothing." She laughed in exasperation.

Meanwhile, Yun Tang was with Jiang Yulin and the others, and Jiang Yulin heard her muttering.

He reacted swiftly. "You mean Xunxun?"

"Who else but that heartless woman?"

Yun Tang spoke sharply, with an obvious edge of emotion.

Jiang Yulin smiled. They'd all grown up in the same circle; who didn't know whom?

"Worried about her?"

Yun Tang was speechless.

Jiang Yulin said, "Do you know what he said when I asked her?"

Yun Tang looked at him, signaling for him to hurry up and stop keeping her in suspense.

"She said she'd never lost."

Jiang Yulin swirled the stemmed glass in his hand, his smile utterly irreverent.

Yun Tang understood and said no more.

After that day, Xun Yuan didn't see Zuo Tingyue for nearly half a month.

She did go shopping with Yun Tang, and to nightclubs to look at handsome young men with abs.

Honestly, Yun Tang was the one who liked looking. She'd seen someone more manly-on that day, especially when he was covered in sweat, that sexy surge of hormones had hit the ceiling.

It lingered in her memory, impossible to forget.

The next time she heard news of Zuo Tingyue was at a charity gala hosted by the Jiang family.

Jiang Yulin told her himself.

"Tingyue? He flew to Southeast Asia on business."

No one noticed Xun Yuan pause when she heard those words. Her lowered lashes hid the emotions in her eyes, and that instant when they slipped out of control.

A stir arose at the entrance to the hall, then gave way to silence.

Xun Yuan pulled herself out of that moment's emotion and looked toward the person everyone was craning their necks for.

It was Zuo Tingyue.

A tailored suit, still that deep, austere black; short, tousled hair; a sharp brow ridge; deep-set features. He walked over without glancing aside, and those around him automatically made way, falling silent as one. The refined, distinguished air nurtured in a powerful, aristocratic family was displayed to its fullest in that moment.

Xun Yuan was briefly dazed. Someone who, by another's account just moments ago, was still in Southeast Asia had suddenly appeared before her, giving her an unreal sense of having crossed time.

Zuo Tingyue passed before her. Having received word, the head of the Jiang family came out to welcome him. After a brief meeting, he was led upstairs.

Xun Yuan's gaze followed their retreating figures until both disappeared around the second-floor corner.

"You're not going?"

Xun Yuan withdrew her gaze and, with a slight curl of her lips, asked the Jiang family's eldest young master beside her.

Jiang Yulin countered, "What would I go for?"

"They'll call me when they need me. Who knows what secrets they're discussing? I'm not going to make a nuisance of myself."

Jiang Yulin shook his head, every inch the indolent second-generation heir.

Xun Yuan lowered her eyes and smiled, more or less understanding the twists and turns between them.

At some point, Yun Tang came over and eagerly consulted Xun Yuan.

"Xunxun, want to go have some fun after this wraps up?"

Xun Yuan asked, "Where?"

"Going to look at men with abs again?"

Light danced in her eyes, thick with teasing.

Yun Tang wasn't embarrassed at all, answering with perfect confidence, "Can't I?"

Jiang Yulin cut in. "Don't lead Xunxun astray. Who knows where the men in those places come from?"

Yun Tang turned to glare at him. "None of your business."

"What about when you lot go looking for women?"

Jiang Yulin choked, thoroughly silenced.

In truth, he was worried someone might scheme to approach them with an ulterior motive. Taking the opportunity to seek money, fame, or advantage was one thing; the fear was that they might be plotting something bigger.

Xun Yuan smiled, amused by the two bickering before her.

"Don't worry. She's only looking. She has her limits."

She said that to Jiang Yulin, then turned to Yun Tang.

"Why are you taking it out on him?"

There was a little helplessness and indulgence in Xun Yuan's eyes as she spoke, as though she saw through everything and understood why Yun Tang was behaving this way.

Yun Tang lowered her banners and stilled her drums, downing a glass of wine on her own.

Just then, Zuo Tingyue came downstairs and passed behind them. A faint sandalwood scent pierced the air and reached her nose. Xun Yuan was very familiar with his unique scent.

Rich, ancient, faint, impossible to ignore.

Her gaze remained impassive. She didn't turn or move at all as Zuo Tingyue strode past behind them, the head of the Jiang family at his side, carrying the imposing, luxurious air of a man in power.

In bed, they indulged in every entwined pleasure; out of bed, they were strangers.

Truly, that tacit understanding was hard to put into words.

Not long afterward, Xun Yuan set down her wineglass, rose, gathered her shawl around herself, and left at an unhurried pace.

For the latter half of the evening, Yun Tang still dragged Xun Yuan along to look at handsome young men with abs. She really did only look, finding amusement out of idle boredom.

Inside the private room, Yun Tang was singing a duet with a handsome young man.

Xun Yuan sat alone on a sofa to one side, looking down at her phone. She was coaxing the little girl abroad, who was very angry that she'd left her overseas.

Suddenly, the sofa sank beside her. Xun Yuan ignored it, her long, slender fingers tapping on her phone. Only after soothing the little girl did she put it down.

She glanced over indifferently. What met her eyes was a fair face, curved lashes, gentle features, red lips, and white teeth. At first glance, he looked innocent of the world-the pure, gentle type, brimming with boyishness.

Noticing Xun Yuan's gaze, he looked over gently. Those eyes followed her closely without being cloying, sincere and innocent.

Xun Yuan parted her lips. "Who told you to sit here?"

His voice was very mild. "No one. It was... I wanted to come over myself."

A little interest stirred in Xun Yuan, her voice cool and clear. "What did you come over for?"

"I like... you. I wanted to be close to you."

He spoke slowly, his voice a little low, his head slightly bowed to reveal a small stretch of pale neck, yet his words were direct.

Xun Yuan raised her brows. A straight ball-but who would believe that in a pleasure establishment?

She found it interesting and looked straight at him, casual, with little genuine amusement in her eyes.

Her gaze made him a little uneasy, yet he plucked up his courage and slowly moved closer.

The look in Xun Yuan's eyes was unreadable as she watched him approach indifferently.

Just as he was about to press against her, Xun Yuan casually took a book used as decoration from beneath the table and braced it against his shoulder, blocking him, her voice light and cool.

"You crossed the line."

The outer corners of her eyes were long and narrow; when her expression cooled, there was a natural detachment to it.

"You..."

He swallowed, at a loss and nervous. He tried to say something, but was cut off.

"You don't look very old. Think carefully about what you do."

Xun Yuan said mildly, "And don't get any ideas about me. There's no chance."

She was blunt, giving the person before her no opening, and offered a few well-meant words of advice in passing.

He froze, then flushed, not knowing how to react.

"I'm not..."

Click.

The private room's door opened, exposing the scene before them in full to the person who arrived.

Xun Yuan looked over, her body stiffening slightly.